Hanseatic appoints terminal chiefs to drive US and Mexico growth

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Hanseatic Global Terminals has appointed new general managers for Florida International Terminal in the United States and Terminal Marítima Mazatlán in Mexico as it seeks to support further growth at both operations.

The appointments take effect on September 1. Mauricio Ortiz will become general manager of Florida International Terminal, known as FIT, while Cristián Ortega will succeed him as general manager of Terminal Marítima Mazatlán, or TMAZ.

The changes give both terminals leaders with extensive experience inside the group, while maintaining management continuity across Hanseatic Global Terminals’ operations in North America.

Ortiz will move to FIT after serving as general manager of TMAZ since March 2019. One of his main responsibilities will be to guide the Florida terminal through its next phase of growth.

He joined the group in 2010 as a trainee engineer before transferring to Terminal Marítima Mazatlán in 2013. During his time at the Mexican operation, Ortiz held commercial and operational leadership positions, including commercial manager and operations director.

Ortiz holds a degree in Commercial Engineering and a Master in Finance from Universidad Adolfo Ibáñez. He also holds an MBA from the Panamerican Institute for High Business Management, known as IPADE.

His appointment brings more than 16 years of experience within the group to FIT. That internal knowledge could help maintain established operating practices while allowing the Florida business to pursue new commercial opportunities.

Ortega will take over management of TMAZ after serving as the terminal’s director of administration and finance since January 2018.

He joined the group in 2011 as a trainee engineer and later worked as head of projects and strategic planning at Iquique Terminal Internacional in Chile. His background combines financial management, project planning and terminal administration.

Ortega holds a degree in Commercial Engineering from Universidad del Desarrollo and an MBA from Tecnológico de Monterrey.

The appointment provides continuity at the Mazatlán terminal as Ortiz relocates to Florida. Like a carefully managed vessel handover, the leadership transition keeps operational knowledge within the organisation while assigning responsibility to executives already familiar with the terminals and their regional markets.

Rodrigo Galleguillos, chief executive of Hanseatic Global Terminals Latin America, said the appointments reflected the company’s focus on strengthening operational leadership and creating growth opportunities for internal talent.

“Having experienced teams with business acumen and a long term vision is fundamental to support the growth of our terminals and continue providing excellent service to our clients,” Galleguillos said.

The management changes cover two markets central to the group’s regional operations. Ortiz will focus on FIT’s development in the United States, while Ortega will oversee the continued advancement of the Mazatlán business in Mexico.